November 30, 2012

Jordan: April reports on the novel coronavirus

Seven people affected by an outbreak of infectious disease that originated in Zarqa Public Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit were in good condition Saturday, and all but one had been released from hospital, according to a Health Ministry statement.

The ministry on Friday closed the ICU following an outbreak of infectious disease, believed to be pneumonia, that affected seven nurses, one of whom died on Thursday, one doctor, and the brother of one of the nurses.

In a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, on Saturday, the ministry’s Secretary General Daifallah Lozi said six nurses and the deceased nurse’s brother had been “completely cured” after receiving treatment.

The six nurses who were referred to Prince Hamzeh Hospital were discharged after being treated, he said, adding that the brother was in "good shape" and would be discharged after undergoing final tests to make sure he is free of the disease.

Louzi said that the ministry is currently conducting laboratory tests to determine the cause of the illness and that the hospital is now receiving patients as usual, with no remaining danger to hospital staff, Petra reported.

In a statement sent to The Jordan Times on Friday, Lozi said an investigation had proven that the ICU was the source of the outbreak.

The ICU will reopen after being sterilised, he said, adding that infection control measures were being taken in other facilities in the hospital, which were receiving patients as normal.

Management error?

Meanwhile, nurses working at the hospital faulted the management for not implementing the infection control measures as soon as the first case was diagnosed.

“The management refused to let us wear masks, claiming that other patients would be terrified if they saw us with masks as they would think there was an infectious disease spreading in the hospital,” a nurse, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Jordan Times on Friday.

Comments

Seven people affected by an outbreak of infectious disease that originated in Zarqa Public Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit were in good condition Saturday, and all but one had been released from hospital, according to a Health Ministry statement.

The ministry on Friday closed the ICU following an outbreak of infectious disease, believed to be pneumonia, that affected seven nurses, one of whom died on Thursday, one doctor, and the brother of one of the nurses.

In a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, on Saturday, the ministry’s Secretary General Daifallah Lozi said six nurses and the deceased nurse’s brother had been “completely cured” after receiving treatment.

The six nurses who were referred to Prince Hamzeh Hospital were discharged after being treated, he said, adding that the brother was in "good shape" and would be discharged after undergoing final tests to make sure he is free of the disease.

Louzi said that the ministry is currently conducting laboratory tests to determine the cause of the illness and that the hospital is now receiving patients as usual, with no remaining danger to hospital staff, Petra reported.

In a statement sent to The Jordan Times on Friday, Lozi said an investigation had proven that the ICU was the source of the outbreak.

The ICU will reopen after being sterilised, he said, adding that infection control measures were being taken in other facilities in the hospital, which were receiving patients as normal.

Management error?

Meanwhile, nurses working at the hospital faulted the management for not implementing the infection control measures as soon as the first case was diagnosed.

“The management refused to let us wear masks, claiming that other patients would be terrified if they saw us with masks as they would think there was an infectious disease spreading in the hospital,” a nurse, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Jordan Times on Friday.